The present invention relates to a device for removing end packaging from web rolls. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device that automatically removes end packaging material covering axial ends of a web roll.
Rolls having a hollow core wrapped with a single-piece web, e.g., long sheets of paper, film, or metal foil, or composite sheets such as laminated film, have been widely used in various fields of industry for different uses. For example, in offset rotary printing presses and letter presses, a roll (hereinafter referred to as a xe2x80x9cweb rollxe2x80x9d), consisting of a rolled-up web to be printed upon, is mounted on a web feeding device. The web is drawn out from the feeding device into the printing press.
In order to prevent the web roll from being damaged or dirtied as it is transported from a paper plant to a printing plant, a perimeter-surface packaging material (wrapper) is wrapped around an outer perimeter surface. End packaging material covers both axial ends. When a web roll is shipped to the printing plant, both types of packaging material must be removed. Currently, a worker must manually remove the packaging material from the web roll. This is an obstacle to the implementation of labor-saving measures. Furthermore, in removing the end packaging material covering the axial ends of the web roll, the worker must slide a cutter or knife between the end packaging material and the perimeter surface packaging material to cut along the entire perimeter of the packaging material. This is a very complicated procedure. Also, the cutter or the knife can damage the web when cutting the end packaging material and the perimeter surface packaging material.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for removing end packaging from web rolls which overcomes the foregoing problems.
It is a further object of the present invention to automate removal of the end packaging material covering axial ends of a web roll.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a labor-saving device for removing end packaging material of a web roll.
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a pair of drawing members, separated by a prescribed distance, which are rotated toward each other in contact with an end packaging material covering the ends of a web wrapped on a web roll. The drawing members are brought toward one another, creating an insertion section by gathering the end packaging and separating the end packaging from the web on the web roll. A cutting member is inserted into the insertion section. The web roll is then rotated, whereby the end packaging is cut and removed from an end of a web roll without damaging the web wrapped thereon. Similar drawing members and cutting members are preferably located at each end of an end packaging removal device, thereby simultaneously removing the end packaging material from both ends of the web roll. The resulting end packaging removal device saves time and labor involved in removing end packaging from a web roll.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a device for removing end packaging from a web roll comprising cutting means for cutting the end packaging, drawing means for creating an insertion section of the end packaging, insertion means for inserting the cutting means into the insertion section, and rotating means for rotating the web roll with the cutting means into the insertion section, whereby the rotating means begins rotation of the web roll after the cutting means is inserted into the insertion section, thereby cutting the end packaging from the web roll without damaging a web wrapped thereupon.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a device for removing end packaging from a web roll comprising a support device rotatably supporting the web roll, the support device including means for rotating the web roll, first and second cutting units separated by a distance greater than the length ofthe web roll, first and second drawing members separated by a distance greater than the length of the web roll, the first and second drawing members moving in a first direction perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the web roll, the first and second drawing members moving in a second direction along the axis of rotation, whereby movement in the first and second directions permits the first and second drawing members to contact the end packaging material at a point on both ends of the web roll near an outer perimeter surface of the web roll, each of the first and second drawing members include first and second drawing rollers, separated by a prescribed distance, gripping the end packaging of the web roll, the first and second drawing members include means for moving the first and second drawing rollers toward each other, whereby the end packaging is gathered and separated from a web on the web roll to create an insertion section, and moving means for moving at least one of the first and second cutting units and the web roll to permit the cutting unit to cut the end packaging at the insertion section, whereby rotation of the web roll causes the first and second cutting units to cut and remove the end packaging from the web roll.
According to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for removing an end packaging from a cylindrical object comprising first and second spaced-apart drawing members, means for moving the first and second drawing members into contact with the end packaging and then moving the first and second drawing members toward each other to distort a portion of the end packaging therebetween into an outwardly projecting insertion section, a knife, means for inserting the knife into the insertion section, thereby penetrating the end packaging, and the knife being effective, when the cylindrical object is rotated therepast, to separate the end packaging from the cylindrical object.
In order to overcome the problems described above and to achieve the objects described above, the present invention provides a device for removing an end packaging material covering both axial ends of a web roll including a support device rotatably supporting the web roll, further including rotating means rotating the roll, a pair of cutting units which can be brought close together and far apart from each other along the axis of the web roll, a pair of drawing members disposed at positions facing the ends of the web roll at the cutting units which can be brought close together and far apart from each other, activating means disposed at each ofthe cutting units and having the pair of drawing members moved toward each other so that a knife insertion section is formed by drawing out the end packaging material between the drawing members and separating the end packaging material from the end of the web roll, the drawing members being in contact with the end packaging material covering the ends of the web roll, and a knife disposed on each of the cutting units capable of being projected in and recessed from the knife insertion section of the end packaging material formed by the pair of drawing members, wherein the end packaging material is cut and removed by rotating the web roll while the knife is inserted in the knife insertion section.